This past weekend, high school sailing teams traveled from across the country to Norfolk, Va., for ISSA’s Baker Team Racing Trophy, and when it was all over, Newport Harbor’s sailors stood in second place.
The breeze was predicted to be consistent with sunny skies and very warm temperatures. However, on Day 1, the 12 qualifying teams were met with some disappointing breeze. Breeze finally picked up around 2:30 p.m. to a barely raceable 5-8 knots, allowing the race committee to complete 42 races for the day.
Both local teams, Newport Harbor High School and Corona del Mar High School, looked to be contenders after the completion of the first day of racing.
However, the breeze proved unpredictable again on Day 2, finally filling again at 2 p.m., and a total of 66 races were completed over the two days.
Going into the last sail-offs, Newport Harbor was only two wins behind first-place Tabor Academy, in a tie for second place with a 9-2 record, the same as the Hotchkiss School. Newport Harbor fought for the second place position with a sail-off and succeeded, winning the tiebreaker. The tight racing just proved the tremendous skill level of the competitors.
Newport Harbor – with Kieran Chung, Cooper Scott, Ryan Davidson, Daniel Segerblom, and crews Nicole Grice, Franchie Capellini, Erin Kincaid, Greer Wattson, and Shelley Grice – placed second behind Tabor Academy.
The Hotchkiss School placed third overall with one local sailor, Charlotte Bellings, crewing for the team. Corona del Mar placed ninth overall.
It was an impressive weekend with two Southern California teams placing in the top four.
